Friday, January 27, 2017

Education minister orders troubleshooters to probe York school board

After months of scandal, Ontario’s education minister is taking “urgent action” and sending in two troubleshooters to investigate allegations of widespread racism and other problems that have rocked York Region’s public school board.

The move, announced Thursday by Minister Mitzie Hunter and first reported by the Star, will also look at trustee accountability and how to improve relations with the parents and community — and whether trustees and the director of education “are fulfilling their legislated duties.”

“When there are concerns that are raised, we cannot shy away from those concerns,” Hunter said in an interview, adding the drastic step is needed to regain public confidence in the province’s third largest school board.

“We have to ensure that the leadership is responsive and is addressing the concerns that are raised.”

The newly elected chair of the troubled board, Loralea Carruthers, welcomed the move, acknowledging it is “clear that there is a lot of hard work the board must do to regain public trust.” (more...)